Empty Stocking Fund helps Harford's less fortunate during holidays

In it's 24th year, the Empty Stocking Fund is once again planning to help hundreds of less fortunate Harford County residents during the Christmas Season.

The Empty Stocking Fund is a nonprofit 501c-3 organization founded in 1990 to help needy residents of Harford County during the holidays.

The Empty Stocking Fund helps with food; and clothing and toys for the children. The Fund assisted more than 350 Harford County families in 2012.

The Empty Stocking Fund accepts monetary donations, new unwrapped toys and new books.

If you would like to make a donation, you may send it to The Empty Stocking Fund, P.O. Box 189, Bel Air, Md. 21014. Any amount would be appreciated.

The fund raising goal for 2013 is $80,000. As of Monday, the fund has received $20,815 in monetary donations.

You can help the fund reach its goals by stopping by the Empty Stocking Fund display at Barnes and Noble Booksellers at 620 Market Place Drive in Bel Air and buying a book for a child.

Harford Community College will celebrate the holidays with two productions that benefit the Empty Stocking Fund.

Harford Dance Theatre will present "The Nutcracker" at the Amoss Center, with five performances: one on Friday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m; two on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 1 and 4 p.m. and two on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 1 and 4 p.m.

Phoenix Festival Theater will present "Babes in Toyland" in the HCC Chesapeake Center, also with five performances: on Saturday, Dec. 13, at 8 p.m.; two on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 3 and 8 p.m. and two on Sunday, Dec. 15, at 1 and 4 p.m.

Tickets for both are available at tickets.harford.edu. Patrons are asked to donate a new unwrapped toy to each performance to benefit the Empty Stocking Fund.

Harford Ballet Company's annual performances of "The Nutcracker" will also benefit the Empty Stocking Fund, as they have for several years. The performances at Aberdeen High School are Saturday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 15, at 3 p.m. Patrons are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys to benefit the Empty Stocking Fund.

Eight Harford County Public Library locations will serve as drop off collection sites for toys for the Empty Stocking this year. The branches participating include Abingdon, Fallston, Aberdeen, Jarrettsville, Joppa, Edgewood, Whiteford and Darlington, along with the HCPL administrative offices in Belcamp.

A quarter auction to benefit the Empty Stocking Fund is being planned for Dec 7 at Mt. Ararat Masonic Lodge on Gordon Street in Bel Air from 6-10 p.m.